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    The precarity of platform capitalism : how collective mobilisation changes as the sex work industry shifts to online marketplaces : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology at Massey University, Manawatu Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024-08-31) Palatchie, Brittany
    This research sought to understand how the commercial sex work industry operates within platform capitalism and to analyse how platform capitalist models of labour impact the working, social, and political lives of online sex workers (adult content creators). This is an interpretive, qualitative study with data collected from a content analysis of online forums utilised by online sex workers globally and from semi-structured interviews with eight online sex workers based in New Zealand. Findings highlight the covert forms of structural violence inflicted on workers through algorithmic bias, exploitative platform practices demanding unpaid emotional, moral, and affective labour, punitive deplatforming measures, and economically precarious third-party payment platforms. Additionally, transnational laws imposed on workers and the monopolisation of the online sex work industry limit workers' ability to publicly mobilise against platforms due to fear of retaliation. Given these forms of structural violence, it is critical to understand how workers are politically advocating for themselves within the platform economy, where they are classed as independent contractors without traditional employment protections. This research found that workers are restaging their collective mobilisation from public spaces to private spaces such as Discord and online forums. Workers have created private communities of care where they can support one another, offer advice, share resources, and come together in solidarity over their troubles. They also engage in what I term “imagined resistance”, a form of resistance that is planned but is yet to transpire. This thesis thus offers insights into broader understandings of prefigurative politics being undertaken within the platform economy of online sex work through covert forms of resistance.
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    Silicon Welly : the rise of platform capitalism and the paradoxes of precarity in Wellington City : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Anthropology at Massey University Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024-09-20) Halley, Jessica
    This thesis addresses a central question: why do digital workers in Wellington’s tech sector persist despite the inherent precarity of platform capitalism? Examining the career histories of members of the Enspiral Network, a community focused on social entrepreneurship, reveals the paradoxical nature of subjectivity in digital labour. The research employs ethnographic methods, including life histories and narrative analysis, to explore the intersection of software materiality, neoliberal political economy, and Silicon Valley-inspired discourses. It investigates how digital workers navigate the precariousness of platform capitalism through emotional investment in programming and strategic career adaptations. Findings highlight the distinctive influence of Wellington’s cultural, political, and economic landscape on digital labour. The city’s counter-cultural ethos and state-driven entrepreneurial initiatives foster unique collaborative practices and open-source contributions within the tech sector. These elements collectively shape a hybrid form of platform capitalism that challenges traditional capitalist models. In conclusion, this thesis contributes to the understanding of contemporary labour by emphasizing the role of place, subjectivity, and paradox in the production end of platform capitalism. It underscores the active agency of digital workers in constructing their careers and identities amidst precarious conditions, offering insights into the broader implications of digital labour in the twenty-first century.
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    Human capital effects for productivity and income : a New Zealand perspective : a thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics at Massey University, School of Economics and Finance, Massey University
    (Massey University, 2023-11-28) Thomson, Jeffrey
    The overarching purpose of this dissertation is to identify factors crucial for improving the performance of the New Zealand economy and in turn, for raising standards of living. Within this overall aim, I investigate whether and/or how human capital affects the key growth driver of labour productivity, and flowing from this, worker income. The findings of my research suggest several policy measures to support existing government initiatives as well as identifying further avenues for research into the contribution of human capital to economic growth. In my first study I examine the effects of industry skill on labour productivity. I find gains in labour productivity from increases in capital intensity. Capital intensity is particularly effective for raising labour productivity in lower to medium-skilled industries, relative to lower-skilled. This result indicates possible skill-capital complementary effects. I also observe significant improvements in labour productivity from increases in total factor productivity. This result indicates the importance of technology adoption in New Zealand production. For input substitution effects, I observe a negative relationship between labour cost and capital intensity. This indicates that firms may reduce capital investment when managing labour cost increases. Additionally, low sensitivity is observed from increasing physical capital returns for capital investment. The latter two results are likely to be negative for productivity in the relatively labour-intensive New Zealand economy. In my second study I build on the established human capital measure of years of schooling, drilling down further to examine the impacts of the core cognitive skills of literacy, numeracy, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) problem-solving on worker income. I find a positive relationship between proficiency in each of these three core skills and worker earnings. This result indicates demand in the New Zealand labour market for greater cognitive skill proficiency. A further important finding is that earnings are improved from greater use of ICT problem-solving skills in the workplace. This result indicates the importance of the continuing integration of technology into industries for lifting worker productivity and income. There are also significant earnings benefits from further adult education and training, after completion of foundation studies. For occupational effects, I observe a fall in the relative value of the skills of white-collar workers. However, this may be offset by greater use of numeracy skills, for each occupational skill level group. Further findings for the New Zealand labour market include that the peak level of earnings for New Zealand workers occurs for the 35 to 44-year age group and an expected negative gender earnings gap is observed for female workers. These findings indicate a loss of earnings potential for many workers, restricting the performance of the New Zealand labour market and economy. In my third study I evaluate similarities and differences in the impacts of the core cognitive skills on worker earnings internationally. I find a positive relationship between proficiency in numeracy skills in particular, and worker income. Increased usage of ICT problem-solving skills in the workplace is the most significant of the skill use variables for raising earnings internationally. This also indicates the earnings potential from greater development of this key infrastructure for economies. The results also show significant gains to worker earnings from investment in job-related adult education and training for countries with less developed programmes. I find that countries providing the strongest worker protection show the smallest range in earnings by occupational skill and by gender and age. In contrast, increasing numeracy skill improves earnings by occupational skill, with the greatest benefit for countries with more flexible labour markets. Similarly, increasing numeracy and ICT skill proficiency improves earnings for workers in the lower three age bands. This is found for numeracy proficiency in flexible labour markets. Rather than through regulation, earnings and living standards for individuals may instead be improved through greater cognitive skill proficiency in flexible labour markets.